You Make Me Swoon
by Crimson1
Summary: When Barry rushes home to eat something after almost passing out on the job, finding nothing in his cupboards or fridge to help him is the absolute last straw. Lately, it's just been too much, and he collapses in tears and barely controlled consciousness. The last thing he expects is for Leonard Snart to come walking into his kitchen after him.


Tumblr prompt: ColdFlash, "You found me crying on the kitchen floor in the middle of the night surrounded by a shattered jelly jar."

* * *

Barry groaned and tensed when Snart lifted him from the floor, too exhausted to fight, hoping his nemesis went easy on him for once.

Then a strong shoulder eased under Barry's arm, helping him from the kitchen out to the main room of his apartment rather than throwing him around or going for a sucker punch.

"Sit. What do you need, kid?"

"I…" Barry blinked past his tears, sagging into the cushions when Snart gingerly set him on the sofa. He still wore his Flash suit, but the cowl was back, the gloves off, the zipper half down his chest. He looked up at Snart through a haze of low blood sugar, who was also still in costume, but no goggles, gloves, or visible cold gun.

" _Barry_."

"Food. I need food, but I don't…there's nothing in my cupboards or fridge but that damn jar on the floor. I've been too busy to shop, and I just…"

"So that's why you ran off. Stay there, Scarlet. Stay awake. I'll be back."

Barry nodded through his haze, wondering if he had passed out back at the heist he'd been attempting to foil and was dreaming this.

It had started like any call, zipping into his costume, rushing to the scene, facing off against Snart. But Barry hadn't had dinner. Barely had lunch. Had been running on fumes for what seemed like days, weeks. When he felt himself sway, he'd been done, just so done with Snart, and everything in his life that never let him rest.

He'd flashed out of there, but not at max speed. He couldn't do max speed. He'd probably left the most visible lightning trail of all if Snart had been able to follow him. Maybe Snart had just known where he lived, since he got the new apartment; Barry wouldn't put it past the guy.

As soon as Barry passed the threshold of his apartment, he'd gone to the cupboards to find them empty of anything edible. And in his fridge, nothing but a jar of grape jelly. Calories were calories though, so he'd torn his gloves off and dug in with his fingers. But his hands were shaking so much, the jar slipped from his grasp and crashed in a heap of shattered pieces over the floor.

It was too much, just everything crashing down around him like that damn jelly jar, and before he knew it he was sliding to the floor with the fridge at his back, sobbing into his knees amidst the mess.

He never expected Snart to come in behind him.

"Barry…"

Barry lifted his head groggily from the cushions, peering up at Snart, who he'd sworn had just left, but he must have passed out a little, or at least dozed.

Barry wasn't even sure what passed his lips, but before he knew it he was chewing, and swallowing, and feeling a little of the life return to him. When he became more aware, he noticed an assortment of food from the market down the street spread out over his coffee table, as Snart…Leonard Snart, Captain Cold, fed him.

He was definitely dreaming.

"You found me crying on the kitchen floor in the middle of the night surrounded by a shattered jelly jar. Why aren't you taking advantage of the situation?"

Snart snorted as he handed Barry a bagel, since it was clear now that he could feed himself. "Your fainting violet act meant I got the goods stored before I followed you. My night went swimmingly. Doubt you're up for chasing me down when I leave and returning what I stole."

Barry grumbled in the affirmative. He couldn't even care. It was just a jewelry heist. No one had been hurt, other than him. He still felt a little dizzy, and really wanted to sleep - he was so happy it was Sunday tomorrow and he could sleep in - and munched on the bagel as Snart got up to fill a glass of water. Barry drank it greedily.

"Sleep. I'll return to menacing our fair city when you can stand on two feet again."

"I can stand," Barry protested, finishing the bagel in a gulp and trying to make good on that statement only to crumble back to the sofa.

Suddenly, Snart's arms were under his knees and around his back, lifting him.

"Hey!"

"Cool it, kid, and accept the gesture. You can owe me later."

Barry hid his face in Snart's sweater as his nemesis carried him into the bedroom, beyond mortified. Snart's pity was the last thing he wanted. But the man was surprisingly warm…and comfy.

When Snart laid him on the bed, he immediately moved his hands to the zipper of Barry's suit and started pulling it down.

"Hey, what are you–!"

"Do you wanna sleep in this thing all night?"

"No, but…" Barry gripped Snart's hands, their skin touching with neither wearing gloves, and…had they ever touched skin to skin before? Barry wasn't sure, but the man had very soft hands. He looked away. "I'm not wearing anything underneath."

Snart raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, well, what you do on your off time, Barry…"

"It's not a kink! It's just…more comfortable this way. I can undress myself."

Snart shrugged and turned toward Barry's dresser. While he rummaged for clothes, Barry shimmied out of his suit and crawled under the comforter. Snart turned back to hand him a pair of sleep pants, which Barry slipped into while still under the covers.

Snart smirked at him and left. Barry figured the thief was giving him a break, and laid back on the pillow, but just as he closed his eyes, he jerked alert again when he heard something set on the nightstand. He looked over and Snart had brought in some of the food and the water glass, refilled.

Barry didn't know what to say. He mumbled, "It's just been…too much lately."

Snart nodded.

Barry snuggled into his pillow, into the covers, and closed his eyes again. "Thanks."

"Sure, kid."

And Barry would have sworn, though he might have been already dreaming, that just before he drifted off, he felt the light pressure of lips on his temple.

* * *

THE END


End file.
